Ming Hsieh

Ming Hsieh
Born	1956 Shenyang, Liaoning, China
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, philanthropist
Years active	1985–present
Known for	Founder of Cogent Systems and Fulgent Genetics

Ming Hsieh (; born 1956) is a Chinese-born American entrepreneur and philanthropist with billionaire status. He established Cogent Systems in 1990 and later sold the company to 3M in 2010. In 2011, he founded Fulgent Genetics, a firm specializing in genetic testing technologies.

Early life and education

Hsieh was born in 1956 in Shenyang, located in China’s Liaoning province. During the Cultural Revolution, his family endured persecution because of their connections to Taiwan’s Nationalist government. This circumstance compelled them to move to a rural village near Panjin, disrupting his formal schooling. His parents provided home education, and under his father’s guidance, he acquired knowledge in electrical engineering, assisting in the construction of a rudimentary power system for their village.

Following the conclusion of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Hsieh pursued semiconductor physics studies at South China University of Technology for two years. Thanks to support from his uncle P.Y. Hsieh—a USC electrical engineering alumnus employed at TRW Inc.—he transferred to the University of Southern California in 1981. There, he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering by 1983 and followed with a Master of Science in the same field in 1984. Although encouraged to continue toward a Ph.D., he opted instead to enter the workforce.

Career

Hsieh launched his professional journey in 1985 as a circuit designer at International Rectifier.

Two years later, in 1987, he co-established AMAX Information Technologies alongside fellow USC graduates. The company focused on high-performance computing and storage solutions, including servers and storage systems.

In 1990, together with another USC classmate, Hsieh co-founded Cogent Systems, which specialized in automated high-speed biometric fingerprint identification technologies and tailored software development. He held the roles of president, chairman, and CEO. Cogent went public in 2004 and secured contracts with various government entities such as the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Prisons, FBI, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The company was ultimately acquired by 3M in 2010.

In 2011, Hsieh founded Fulgent Therapeutics—now known as Fulgent Genetics—a company operating within the genetic testing sector. He took this enterprise public through an IPO in 2016 and continues to serve as chairman and CEO.

In recognition of his contributions, Hsieh was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2015.

Philanthropy

In October 2006, Hsieh made a $35 million donation to USC's Viterbi School of Engineering’s Department of Electrical Engineering, which was subsequently renamed the USC Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering. Four years later, in 2010, he gave $50 million to USC to support cancer research efforts and holds a position on the university’s Board of Trustees.

In November 2007, he contributed $5.5 million to the Department of Forensic Investigative Sciences at West Virginia University, leading to the dedication of Ming Hsieh Hall on WVU’s downtown campus.

Hsieh also donated $1 million to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles in February 2014.

Personal life

Hsieh is a naturalized citizen of the United States. He resides in Pasadena with his wife Eva Hsieh; they have two children together. Additionally, he has two adult children from a previous marriage.